On my way to work this morning, I had to reload my monthly subway pass. This didn’t seem like a huge deal at the time (aside from the dent it made in my bank account), but now that I reflect, I realize it means that we have already spent a month here in the city.
The past four weeks have given us time to create everlasting relationships, experiences, and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. This month has allowed us to grow both as individuals and as young professionals. Even with our early mornings, busy days, and late-night events, I can see the passion and hardwork within everyone growing more and more.
For the last night of June, it only seemed fitting that we ended the month with a captivating and thought-provoking speaker. Tammy Ross serves as Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Integrated Marketing for HBO Sports. Tammy was our first media-related speaker and everyone was excited to hear her perspective in relation to sports.
She began the presentation with two clips, one from “Hard Knocks” and one from “24/7”, both HBO Sports shows that personify the lives of athletes, coaches, and teams. The clips were brief yet everyone was immediately fascinated. The music, filming, language, and virtually everything about the clips was real hard footage that could not be imitated.
HBO is a premium subscription-based network and everything that it does is genuine, new, and cutting-edge. HBO confronts sports in a way that allows its viewers to feel as though they are getting a personal and intimate experience. Tammy emphasized the importance of the brand. She expressed that HBO is premium and real; it does not sell-out for sponsorships or advertisements. HBO believes its network is truly a family, and it won’t set aside its principles for a single person, no matter who it is.
Tammy also spoke with us about her role building the boxing Pay-Per-View program and how her legal background really benefited her career. In conclusion, the group had tons of questions and she then gave us some parting words of wisdom. She emphasized the importance of listening, learning, and staying true to yourself. Even as a successful and busy woman, Tammy showed that she genuinely cared about our futures.
As the month of June came to a close, the night’s speaker series made me realize why I was here in the first place. I look forward to an even better month ahead!